Diamond And Jewellery Blog | Poggenpoel

Why I Proposed Without An Engagement Ring

On the 28th of April 2012 I proposed to my then girlfriend sans any ring of sorts.

All snuggled up next to a hissing camp-fire the perfect moment presented itself without warning. I always thought I’d at least get down on my knee in that moment- but to be honest I was as overwhelmed by the proposal as Mia was. And knee-dropping without a ring is just super weird.

Our proposal story still gets very mixed reactions. Some people find the story spectacularly uninspiring. Others completely relate. Many married couples even give us the “nudda bad idea”-nod.

At the jewellery studio we’re seeing more and more engaged couples visiting us together to have their engagement ring(s) manufactured. To be honest; these are usually the most excited visitors.

We’ve heard a lot of legitimate reasons why gentlemen sometimes propose without a ring in this day and age. Here are our top picks.

“I Didn’t Want Anything To Hijack The Moment.”

Asking someone to spend their one life with you is quite a biggie. You’ll have a lot to say. She might have a lot to say. It’s really not the right moment to put up a massive show.

Firebreathing “little people” might be the coolest thing you’ve ever seen but it’s one of a million things that has no place in your proposal.

It’s a good idea to keep weight of the moment in the back of your mind. Respect the moment for what it is. You’re asking your girlfriend for a yes to the biggest question she’s ever heard.

“My Wife Is Uber Picky”

I’m sure your girlfriend will wear any ring you give her. But don’t you want an engagement ring to be as close to perfect as possible?

Apart from the ring being the symbol of your undying love and whatnot it’s also the first ring she’ll be wearing all day, everyday. She has to at least start out by drooling over it otherwise you’ll be in for a remake sooner than you think.

I commend you for noticing she loves yellow and burgundy. Still, that doesn’t mean a flower motif or a shade of burgundy should make it to her engagement ring design.

If your wife is a tenth as picky as my wife about jewellery - I won’t recommend buying something as significant as an engagement ring behind her back.

“Getting The Ring Size Wrong Is Very Easy”

We’ve heard a few funny answers to “what’s her ring size, sir?”. Medium. Fattish-ish. Can I show you a photo of her and you be the judge?

I wish it was that easy. There’s no way to get the perfect ring size apart from having her ring size properly measured by a jeweller. If you want to keep the proposal plans a complete secret you’ll have to make peace with the fact that your ring will be have to resized. Unfortunately certain design cannot be resized. And you know Murphy. He’s coming for you.

A lot of these issues can be avoided by just asking for her input on the engagement ring design. BUT - not all of us want to go engagement ring shopping before we propose.

I’ve seen guys screw up their engagement ring orders so badly I’ve actually written a book about it. It’s packed with tips to ensure you’re not sleeping alone on the couch that night. You DO NOT want to be on the couch that night. To ensure you’re not making one or a few classic mistakes check out our e-book “Top 10 Engagement Ring Mistakes”.

FROM JOHAN & KOBUS

Poggenpoel Diamond Jewellers is a family business owned and managed by Kobus and Johan Poggenpoel. Although we have a very capable team, we will always gladly be fully hands-on and answer any questions personally. We hope you love our jewellery as much as we do.